Hey I have a question: This weekend I broke out my new quick draws and let my friend use them when we went lead climbing for the first time. We went climbing and all was good, but when he was cleaning the climb, and rappelled off, but his belayer forgot to tell him that one side of his rope wasn't all the way down (probably a lack of communication due to wind noise) and he fell around 10 feet off of his rappel onto his butt, which had some of my quick draws on it! There is a few light scuffs where you can see he landed on them, but are they safe to use?! I've always heard that if gear is dropped over 6-7 feet it could develop micro fractures and should be retired, but I was reading and found some people that said that carabiners can't even develop micro fractures--they had a few studies to back them up. So is my gear okay to use? He had maybe three of them on his butt where he landed? Is there any place I can send my draws to to get them checked for microfractures or are microfractures just a myth?

Hey I have a question: This weekend I broke out my new quick draws and let my friend use them when we went lead climbing for the first time. We went climbing and all was good, but when he was cleaning the climb, and rappelled off, but his belayer forgot to tell him that one side of his rope wasn't all the way down (probably a lack of communication due to wind noise) and he fell around 10 feet off of his rappel onto his butt, which had some of my quick draws on it! There is a few light scuffs where you can see he landed on them, but are they safe to use?! I've always heard that if gear is dropped over 6-7 feet it could develop micro fractures and should be retired, but I was reading and found some people that said that carabiners can't even develop micro fractures--they had a few studies to back them up. So is my gear okay to use? He had maybe three of them on his butt where he landed? Is there any place I can send my draws to to get them checked for microfractures or are microfractures just a myth?

They say if you drop them off El Cap, they'll be fine. I heard Black Diamond tested some in fact. So based on that rumor alone I wouldn't use them until I could get them dropped off the Captain.....then they'll be set to rights.

At least I think that's what they say. I go out with these old guys with beat to shit aged gear, and they don't give a rats ass that the stuff is trashed.

We went climbing and all was good, but when he was cleaning the climb, and rappelled off, but his belayer forgot to tell him that one side of his rope wasn't all the way down (probably a lack of communicaYtion due to wind noise) and he fell around 10 feet off of his rappel onto his butt, which had some of my quick draws on it!

The gear is fine, but it sounds like the belayer may be suffering from microfractures.

Stop climbing, get someone who knows what they are doing to teach you before you get someone seriously hurt.

Edit-- I'm not insulting you, don't take it personally. When it comes to climbing, stupid mistakes hurt real bad-- if you're asking those kinds of questions and rappelling off the end of your rope you're bound to make a lot of them.

You should PM me and I'll give you my adress. Then send me all the related gear including gear that was on site, but not involved in the incedent. I will check it all and if its good I will send it back to you. If its bad we shal never communicate again.

Hey I have a question: This weekend I broke out my new quick draws and let my friend use them when we went lead climbing for the first time. We went climbing and all was good, but when he was cleaning the climb, and rappelled off, but his belayer forgot to tell him that one side of his rope wasn't all the way down (probably a lack of communication due to wind noise) and he fell around 10 feet off of his rappel onto his butt, which had some of my quick draws on it! There is a few light scuffs where you can see he landed on them, but are they safe to use?! I've always heard that if gear is dropped over 6-7 feet it could develop micro fractures and should be retired, but I was reading and found some people that said that carabiners can't even develop micro fractures--they had a few studies to back them up. So is my gear okay to use? He had maybe three of them on his butt where he landed? Is there any place I can send my draws to to get them checked for microfractures or are microfractures just a myth?

They say if you drop them off El Cap, they'll be fine. I heard Black Diamond tested some in fact. So based on that rumor alone I wouldn't use them until I could get them dropped off the Captain.....then they'll be set to rights.

At least I think that's what they say. I go out with these old guys with beat to shit aged gear, and they don't give a rats ass that the stuff is trashed.

Could be they're tossing it off El Cap though.........

My friend dropped one of my draws 400 feet onto solid slab. I found the draw and pull tested the components, all of the components failed above its respective rating. Black Diamond's official stance seems to be, "If it looks okay and works okay, it is okay."